Sighting device



Jan. 5, 1965 Filed Dec. 13, 1960 R. J. REYNOLDS 3,163,937

SIGHTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v Y K INVENTOR. ROBERT J. REYNOLDS ATTORNEY 1965 R. J. REYNOLDS 3,163,937

SIGHTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 1.3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-7 I j v ROBERT f yr libs WK w ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,163,937 Patented Jan. 5, 1965 3,163,937 SEGHTENG BEVTQE Robert 3'. Reynolds, Montgomery .Connty, @hio (115 W. Lowery Ave, Dayton 49, Ghio) Filed Dec. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 75,589 2 Claims. (El. 33-46) This invention relates to a sighting device. The invention relates more particularly to a sighting device for an archery bow or the like. However, the invention is not so limited.

An object of this invention is to provide a sighting device which can be easily and readily attached to a bow.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sighting device which has means for indicating various ranges or distances.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a sighting device which may be easily and readily adjusted to compensate for changes in how strings or changes in other conditions of the bow.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sighting device which is easily and readily adjusted to compensate for the etiects of wind or breeze.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sighting device for a bow which automatically indicates when the correct angle of a bow is obtained for shooting an arrow a given distance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sighting device for a bow which can be used for either left hand or right hand use.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construc tion of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

in the drawings:

FlG-URE l is a perspective view of a bow with a sighting device of this invention attached thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of a sighting device of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective exploded view drawnon substantially the same scale as FIGURE 2 showing a sighting device of this invention.

FlG-URE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line i4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 55 or" FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view taken substantially on line 66 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view, similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the sighting device as it is used for left'hand use, rather than right hand use.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view taken substantially on line 88 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a side view, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a modification of a sighting device of this invention.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic side View, drawn on a smaller scale, of the bow sight of FIGURE 9 in use thereof.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG- URE 10 but showing another step in the useof the device shown in FTGURES 9 and 10.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FEGURE 1 shows generally a bow sight to of this invention attached to a bow 2d. The how has a string 22. The bow sight 15 comprises a bracket 24 which is attached to the bow 21 by means of screws 26, shown in El?- URE 3. A base 28 is adapted to be secured to the bracket 24 by means of screws 3i However, the base 23 is, in some cases, made integral with the bracket 24. The base 23 is provided with an elongate dovetail channel 34 shown in FIGURE 3 and having side portions 33 shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The base 28 is adapted to receive an elongate bar or range member 40. The range member 49 has a slot 42 in opposite side surfaces thereof into which the side portions 38 slidably fit so that the range member 40 is axially movable with respect to the base 28.

The base 28 has a centrally located socket 46, shown in FTGURES 3 and 5, within which a ball Sll is loosely disposed.- A locking pin 54 is threadedly adjustably carried by the base 23 and is movable toward and away from the socket 46. The pin 54 has a tapered nose 56 which enters the socket 46. The tapered nose 56 engages the ball 50 and urges the ball 5% outwardly from the socket id and into engagement with the bar or range member 46. Thus, the range member 44 is clamped with respect to the base 28. The degree of clamping force of the ball 5% and the pin 54 is dependent upon the degree to wvhich the pin 54- is threaded into the base 28.

When it is desired to axially move the range member 4% with respect to the base 28, the pin 54 is adjusted in a direction outwardly from the socket 46 so that the nose 5% of the pin 54 is withdrawn from the socket 46 and the ball 50 freely moves within thesocket 46. There is then no pressure of the ball 5% against the range member all and the range member 49 is thus unclarnped with respect to the base 28.

The range member or bar 4t) has tapered side edges 6d which are adapted to slidably received flange memhere as of an indicator or cursor member 64. -The indicator or cursor 64 is provided with a window 66 which is adapted to be aligned with any one of a plurality of range indicator marks 63. The range indicator marks 6% are shown as being applied to a strip 7% which is recessed into the bar 40 or applied to the bar 49 in any other suitable manner. The flange members 62 of the cursor or are slightly resilient in order to provide a slidable clamping effect of the cursor 64 upon the range member or bar so. The cursor 54 thus remains in any adjusted position upon the range member 49.

The indicator or cursor 64 is provided with a block '74 which carries a sight element 76 which is threadedly attached thereto. The sight element 76 is provided with a head '73. The head 78 may be rotated to adjust the sight member 76 within the block 74. The sight member 76 I has a sight or pointer 8d at the end thereof which is moved toward or away from the block '74 with threaded adjustment of the sighting element 76. The position of the indicator element 76 is secured by a lock out 3 which is adapted to engage the block 74.

The range indicator marks 63 are applied to the range member do in accordance with the action of the bow Ztl. This action or shootin ability of the bow 20 is found by experiment. The indicator marks 68 are then applied to the range member all). Then, as seen in FIG- URE 2, the range indicator marks 68 indicate distances for shooting arrows with the bow 26. When for example, it is desired to shoot an arrow at distance of 50 units, the indicator 64- is moved so that the window 65 thereof is in alignment with the indicator mark Stl, as shown in F1- URE 2. The sighting element as is adjusted so that the lateral position of the sight or pointer fill is at a desired position to compensate for any breeze or wind which may exist.

Frequently, it is necessary to use a new string 22in the bow 2b to which the sighting device 16 is attached. A new string may change the distance that an arrow may travel for a given angular position of the how 20. Therefore, after a new string 22 is attached to the bow 20 the bow is tested and the range member or bar 40 is axially adjusted with respect to the base 28 to compenf i7 sate for changes in range resulting from the change in p the string 22. All that is necessary to compensate for l the change in the string 22 is to move the bar or range member 40 upwardly or downwardly in its newly desired position within the base 28.; For such adjustment, the bar 40 -is loosened with respect to the base 28 by slight loosening of the pin 54. When the new adjusted position for the bar 40 is found, the bar 40 is firmly clamped by the pin 54 for securing the bar 40 with respect to the base 28.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 6 a plurality of adjustment lines 88 are provided in the side surface of the base 28 for alignment with a suitable mark or marks 90 on the side surface of the bar 40. Thus, if it is necessary to remove the bar 40 from the base 23 at any time, the bar 40 may be readjustedto the desired position with respect to the base 28 as shown by the indicator marks 88 and 99.

FIGURES 1-6 show elements of the sighting device 16 arranged on a right hand bow, while FIGURES 7 and 8 show the sighting device arranged on a left hand how. In changing the arrangement from a right hand bow to a left hand bow, all that is necessary'is to reverse the attachment of the base 28 so that the locking pin 54 is on the opposite side of the bracket 24. Also, the indicator element 76 is threadedly inserted into the block 74 from the opposite side. FIGURE 8 shows the indicator marks 38 and 90 which are provided for obtaining proper resetting of the bar 40 with respect to. the base 28 on a left hand bow.

FIGURES 9, 10, and 11 show a modiication of a sighting device of this invention. A bracket 100 is adapted to be attached to a bow 102 by means of screws 104 or by any other suitable means. Attached to the bracket 100 is a base or housing member 106. The upper portion of the housing or base 106 supports an inner shaft member 107 and an outer shaft member 108. Integral with the inner shaft member 107 is a pendulum or arm member 110 having a weight member 112 at the lower end thereof.

As shown in FIGURE 9, integral withvthe outer shaft 108 is a disc 113 having an arm or pointer 114 integral therewith. The disc 113 is in engagement with the upper end of a resilient conductor contact strip 118. The lower end of the contact strip 118 is in engagement with one end of a battery 120. The other end of the battery 120 has a lamp or bulb 122 in contact therewith. The socket of the bulb 122 also engages a conductor member 124 which extends therefrom to the inner shaft 107 as shown in FIGURE 9.

The pointer or stem 114 has an end portion adjacent a range member 126 and has a clamping screw 127 for securing the adjusted position thereof with respect to the range member 126. The range member 126 is arcuate and is adjustably carried by a portion of the base or housing 106.

The pointer stem 114 has a contact 132 and the pendulum or arm 110 has a contact 134. The pendulum 110 and the pointer stem 114 are of conductive material so that electrical current may flow therethrough from the battery 120. Current may fiow from the battery 120 through the strip 118, through the disc 113 to the shaft 108 and through the stern 114. Current may also flow from the battery 120, through the lamp 122, through the conductor member 124 to the shaft 107, and through the pendulum 110. However, such current does not flow until the contact 134 engages the contact 132.

The desired adjusted position of the pointer stem 114 is obtained by manual rotative pressure upon the disc 113.

Operation of the Device of FIGURES 9, 16, and 11 The bow 102 having the device of FIGURES 9, 10, and 11 attached thereto is used in the conventional manner. However, if it is desired to shoot an arrow, such as an arrow 140 shown in FIGURES 10 and 11, a distanceof numeral 60 and the pointer stem is secured in such position by means of theclamping screw 127. Then the bow 102 is raised to the position of FIGURE 10 and is then gradually moved angularly as shown in FIGURE 11 until the contact 134 of the pendulum comes into contact with the contact 132 of the pointer stern 114. Due to the fact that the pendulum 110 always is substantially vertical, the contact 132 of'the pointer stem 114 is engaged by the contact 154 of the pendulum 110 when the pointer stem 114 is substantially vertical as shown in FIGURE 11. Thus, the person holding the how 102 watches for the light of the lamp 122 while he gradually angularly raises the bow 102. When the lamp 122 is energized, the archer using the bow 102 knows that the bow has been properly angularly positioned for shooting of the arrow a distance of 60 units. Therefore, the holder of the bow immediately releases the arrow 140 when the lamp 122 is lighted. Therefore, the device of this invention as shown by FIGURES 9, 10, and 11 automatically indicates to the archer that the proper angular position of the bow 102 has been obtained.

Due to the fact that the range strip 126 is adjustable with respect to the base or housing 106 the range strip 126 may be adjusted to the proper position to compensate for changes in the string of the bow 102 or to compensate for any other changes in the bow structure.

Thus, it is understood that the sighting device of this invention provides means by which the desired angular position of a bow can be readily and accurately obtained for shooting an arrow any distance of which the bow and the archer are capable. A range indicator element of the sighting device is adjustable for accommodating changes in conditions of the bow and string thereof.

A sighting device of this invention is easily and readily attachable to any bow for the use thereof. A sighting device of this invention may be easily removed for carrying of the bow when the bow is not in use.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this inventionvarious changesmay be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. sighting device for attachment to a bow comprising:

a base for attachment to the how, the base having a channel,

an elongate bar adjustably slidably movable Within the channel of the base,

the bar being provided with a plurality of distance indicator marks,

the base and the bar being provided with complementary compensation indicia, clamping means carried by the base for securing the adjusted posit-ion of the bar with respect to the base,

an indicator memberslidably adjustably movable along the bar and alignable with any one of the indicator marks thereof,

a sight member carried by the indicator member.

2. A sighting device for a bow or the like comprising:

a base, the base having a dovetail channel therein,

a range'member adjustably carried within the dovetail channel of the base, the base and the range member having complementary compensation indicia thereon for indicating the posi tion of the range member with respect to the base,

there being a socket in the base in communication with the channel,

a ball disposed within the socket and partially movable into the channel to engage the range member, a pin carried by the base and adjustably movable into engagement with the ball to force the ball in a direction from the socket and into engagement with the range member to secure the range member with respect to the base,

the range member having a plurality of range indicia thereupon, an indicator member adjustably carried by the range member and positionable in alignment with any of the range indicia thereof,

a sight member carried by the indicator member and adjustable with respect thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Klopsteg June 5, 1934 La Vire Oct. 6, 1953 Sundquist July 7, 1959 Genovese Feb. 23, 1960 Crook Apr. 3,-1962 FOREIGN PATENTS France July 28, 1910 

2. A SIGHTING DEVICE FOR A BOW OR THE LIKE COMPRISING: A BASE, THE BASE HAVING A DOVETAIL CHANNEL THEREIN, A RANGE MEMBER ADJUSTABLY CARRIED WITHIN THE DOVETAIL CHANNEL OF THE BASE, THE BASE AND THE RANGE MEMBER HAVING COMPLEMENTARY COMPENSATION INDICIA THEREON FOR INDICATING THE POSITION OF THE RANGE MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO THE BASE, THERE BEING A SOCKET IN THE BASE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CHANNEL, A BALL DISPOSED WITHIN THE SOCKET AND PARTIALLY MOVABLE INTO THE CHANNEL TO ENGAGE THE RANGE MEMBER, A PIN CARRIED BY THE BASE AND ADJUSTABLY MOVABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BALL TO FORCE THE BALL IN A DIRECTION FROM THE SOCKET AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE BASE, THE RANGE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF RANGE INDICIA THER RANGE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF RANGE INDICIA THEREUPON, AN INDICATOR MEMBER ADJUSTABLY CARRIED BY THE RANGE MEMBER AND POSITIONABLE IN ALIGNMENT WITH ANY OF THE RANGE INDICIA THEREOF, A SIGHT MEMBER CARRIED BY THE INDICATOR MEMBER AND ADJUSTABLE WITH RESPECT THERETO. 